LOCAL OPTION.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2347, 13 November 1908, Page 7

LOCAL OPTION.

MACHINERY OF THE POLLS

SOME INTERESTING POINTS

. If the electors have not by this time learned how to vote the faatilt lies entirely with Throughout the streets, on hoardings, on cards, and on pesters, are instructions exhorting the “free and independent to “strike out the top line,” or the second or third. Daily the fight between the two parties waxes more fierce. Information is being distributed by almost every means and electors are in. receipt by nearly every mail of sheaves of leaflets and pamphlets setting forth, with more or less truth, the merits and demerits of no-license. Yet, when the numbers go up there will "lie many people who will nob understand what the totals mean, nor how the officials and the newspapers arrive at their statements of the results. A few explanatory remarks will, therefore, not be out of place. This is how the majorities are reckoned:

THE THREE-FIFTHS MAJORITY

(1) If the number of votes recorded in favor of the continuance of existing licenses is an absolute majority of ah. the voters whose votes were recorded, -the proposal is deemed to be carried, and the licenses continue until the next poll. (2) If the number of votes recorded in favor of reduction in the number of licenses is an absolutely majority of sail the voters whose votes were recorded, the proposal is deemed to he carried, and supersedes the proposal for continuance of licenses. The licensing committee then reduces publicans’ licenses by noteless than 5 per cent, or more than 25 per cent, of the total number existing, excluding forfeitures. „ (3) If the number of votes recorded in favor of the proposal that nolicense shall be granted is not less than three-fifths of all the voters whose votes have been recorded, the proposal is declared to be carried, and supersedes the proposal for reduction and for continuance, and no licenses can he granted. ( 4.) If none of the foregoing proposals is carried by the prescribed majority, the licenses continue as they are until next poll. LOCAL EXAMPLES. One result of this system is that it must happen in many instances that licenses continue, owing to no proposal being carried. Thus in aJ the following instances at the polls of 1905, there was not an absolute majority for continuance, nor a three-fifths majority for reduction or No-lieense, and therefore the status quo was unchanged. VOTES RECORDED FOR, .

Continuance was carried at Wanganui with a vote of 3177 out of a total of 6285, and at Napier with a vote of 3260 out of 5592. If an absolute majority had been sufficient to carry No-license, 36 districts would have “gone dry,” including Hawke’s 'Bay,- Waipawa, Palnatua, Master toil, Wdirarapa, Egmont, Taranaki, Hawera, Patea, Rang dike!, Oroua, Palmerston, Manawutu, Otaki, Newtown, and Hutt. If national local option on a /bare majority had been in force -the whole country would have been “dry” today, for out of 396,417 persons who voted in 1905, rather more than half or, to be exact, 198,768, .voted for Nolicense, as against 182,884 for continuance, and 151,057 for; reduction. ANOMALOUS DISTRICTS. The- licensing districts are, as everybody knows, the same as the electoral districts —except in the four chief cities, where the “city licensing districts” consist of three electorates. Thus, the Wellington City Licensing District consists of Wellington North, 'Wellington Central, and Wellington East. By a curious anomaly, Wellington South is a licensing district of itself, and there are portions of Auckland, Christchurch, .and Dunedin in the same case. A Bill which was introduced by the Prime' Minister in 1907 would have altered- this if it had been passed. There would then have been four electoral districts in each of the city licensing districts. One result of this alteration would have been that Grey Lynn, where Nodicense prevails, v. would have licenses restored, /unless No-license were carried in the city as a whole this year. haps this was why there was no enthusiastic support of the .proposal on the part of the No-license party. . It will bo remembered that Newtown carried No-i!iceiise six years ago, andf the bars were closed, but the poll was subsequently declared void, the ease being taken to the Privy Council. The old Newtown district, which had grown to be the most populous electorate in New Zealand, us Jnow divided between! Wellington South and Wellington Suburbs. „

nominal candidates. Another peculiarity of the .local option system as that although a poll must be taken in every district on the day of the general election, oven if there as no Parliamentary polling in the district, it will not be valid in such a case if Jess than half the electors record their votes. That is why the New Zealand Alliance takes care that every candidate for Parliament shall have an opponent, even if merely a nominal one.

f:& : ■■ - THE OI -PLUMBING COMPANY - SUCCESSORS TO LOCAL OPTION. MACHINERY OF THE POLLS. JOHN W ADE & g ONS, SOME INTERESTING POINTS. . If the -electors have not by this HEEL biREBl. f time learned how to vote the fault lies TT~HAVING taker, over, the Old-es-entirely with Throughout the streets-, on hoardings, on cards, and on pesters, are instructla tablished Business so Buecessiully carried on by JOHN W.-WADE & SONS, beg to inform the lnh$biions exhorting the “free and independent t-o “strike -out the top line,” or the second or third. Daily the fight between the two parties waxes more fierce. Information is being distributed by almost every means and electors are in -receipt by nearly every mail of sheaves of leaflets- and pamphlets setting forth, with more or less truth, the merits and demerits of no-license. Yet. when the numbers go up there will'lie many people who will nob understand what the totals mean, nor how tho officials and the newspapers arrive at tlieir statements of the -results. A few explanatory retants of Gisborne that they are prepared to do alL-class of PL U M B ii\ G and SANITARYWVORK at the Shortest Notice and Despatch. We have also purchased for the Gisborne District the sole rights of WADE'S PATENT SKY BIGHTS and the “CHAMPION ACETYLENE GAS GENERATOR.” Call and inspect one of these machines, which we are prepared to fix, and if not satisfactory no charge will be made. We also guarantee each machine for two y68>rb. The Works will be under the Permarks will, therefore, not be out of place. This is how the majorities are reckoned : — , sonal Management-of Mr WM. TIjvH who is a first-class certificated plumher. None but first-class workmen emTHE THREE-FIFTHS MAJORITY. ployed, and all work guaranteed by (1) If the number of votes recorded ESTIMATES GIVEN for all class of work in the Trade, and a Trial Solicited. in favor of the continuance of. existing licenses is an absolute majority of ah. the voters whose votes were recorded, the proposal is deemed t-o be carried, and the licenses continue uiiT3LUM8ING Jl til the next poll. (2) If the -number of votes -record‘eel iu favor of reduction in the n ; umWM. TIER, Manager. In reference to the above, .we beg to advise having this day sold out to the PLUMBING COMPANY a s above. In thanking our numerous Customers for their past patronage, we hope they will give the same support to our Successors, whom we have every confiher of licenses is an absolutely majority of sail the voters whose votes were recorded, the proposal is deemed to be carried, and supersedes the proposal for continuance of licenses. Tho licensing committee then reduces publicans’ licenses by noteless than 5 per cent, or more than 25 per cent, of the total number existing, excluddeuce in reoommending. JOHN WADE & SONS. — 17th August. 1908 * ing forfeitures. . (3) If the number of votes recorded in favor of the proposal that nolicense shall be granted is not less W, J. COX &C8: than three-fifths of all the voters whose votes have been recorded, the proposal is declared to be .carried, and supersedes the proposal for reUNIVERSAL JpROVIDERS. duction and for continuance, and no licenses can be granted. ( 4.) If none of the foregoing proposals is carried by the prescribed EVERYTHING OF THE BEST. majority, the licenses continuo as - they are until next poll. W. J. COX & C3: LOCAL EXAMPLES. One result of this system is thatGROCERS AND PROVISION it must happen in many instances MERCHANTS. that licenses continue, owing to no proposal being carried. Thus in aJ the following instances at the polls of 1905, there was not an absolute GLADSTONE ROAD, GISBORN*. majority for continuance, nor a Telephone S?9. three-fifths majority for reduction or No-license, and therefore the status quo was unchanged. MEDICAL HALL. VOTES RECORDED FOR, . TE KARAKA. Under New Management. O . C2 =3 3 > 5 0 2 2 ’*? 3 XT! E. WHITE, Consulting and DisJj • pensing Chemist, 30 years’ colonial experience, late of Christchurch and \V ellington Hospital, has now opened the above with a new Stock of Drugs and Patent Medicines. if .2 Q zn £ I • 0 q o o o 0 P3 A > Wellington City 8SS2 7299 8S72 18418 Newton 3082 3540 4154 736v Otaki ... 1859 1502 2075 3974 Hutt 2521 2238 3260 5885 F. E. WHITE, Manawatu ...2020 1609 2568 461< Palmerston 3140 2175 3286 6487 Proprietor. Grou a ... 1807 1455 2534 4375 Wairarapoi.2119 135il 2293 4482 Masterton ... 2144 1981 3056 5223 Paliiatua ... 1854 1245 2556 4465 J. Gr. COX, Waipawa ... 2529 2291 3263 5815 Hawke’s Bay 2425 19/3 26/3 51/o JTNENTAL CfURGEON. Rangitikei... 2271 1489 2660 : 5061